LAHORE Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt has appointed opener Salman Butt as captain of the team to lead the remaining Test matches in England while wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal has been named his deputy. It has been learnt that the PCB chairman called an emergent meeting of the tour management in England in which Salman Butt, former captain Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Umar Gul were also the attendants to look ahead beyond Shahid Afridi after he announced his retirement. However, the PCB denied reports of the inclusion of experienced middle order batsmen Muhammad Yousuf and Younus Khan in the team but reports emanating from the boards quarters suggested that the PCB is considering several options and keeping its choices open. A PCB official said that the PCB is now looking forward following the decision of Afridi to step down as Pakistan team captain for Test matches. Yawar Saeed (manager), Waqar Younis (coach), and Shafqat Rana (associate manager) also gave their opinions. Now, Salman will lead the team in the second Test match against Australia and the four matches against England in the later half of the tour, the official said. On his part, Afridi said that he felt uncomfortable to maintain his fitness for the longer version of the game. He reported to have said that he could not cope with the burden of the Test and his fitness is also in doubt even for the second Test match against Australia to be played at the Leeds. I was not feeling well while training in the gym and I wont be able to play in the second Test, he said. Reports said that he had a strained side which might keep him away from the team for quite some time. And TV reports said that the PCB would take the decision on ODI and T20 captaincy later after assessing the situation. However, they (the attendants of the meeting) were all praise of Afridis frank and open views. The attendees appreciated the job done by Shahid Afridi in building the team. They also appreciated his frank views regarding his own selection for Test matches, said the PCB official. The official further said that the matter regarding Younus and Yousufs inclusion in the team was also discussed but was deferred. All players confirmed their full support to the newly appointed captain and vice captain, he added. Looking at the troubled time the PCB is facing, the timing of Afridis decision wont be the worst than this. It has similarity to the decision taken by Younus Khan last year when he also left the home series in UAE half way through to go into self-imposed retirement. And now, Afridi, who was playing his first Test match in four years, surprised everyone after accepting the captaincy and instead of setting an example, he crumbled to the pressure that came from all directions. Ijaz Butt said that Afridi talked to him before announcing the retirement from Test cricket and if he was not comfortable with the job he could not do anything but to appoint someone else. However, he said that the change of guard wont effect the teams campaign in England. But only time would tell how things would progress with several captains and captaincy aspirant players have gathered in the team at the same time.